Pigskin Parade
| Pigskin Parade | |
|---|---|
 Promotional movie poster for the film | |
| Directed by | David Butler |
| Written by | William M. Conselman Mary Kelly Nat Perrin Arthur Sheekman Harry Tugend Jack Yellen |
| Produced by | Bogart Rogers Darryl F. Zanuck |
| Starring | Stuart Erwin Patsy Kelly Jack Haley Betty Grable Judy Garland |
| Cinematography | Arthur C. Miller |
| Edited by | Irene Morra |
| Music by | David Buttolph |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date | October 23, 1936 |
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $900,000[1] |
Pigskin Parade is a 1936 musical comedy film which tells the story of husband and wife college football coaches who convince a backwoods player to play for their team so they can go to the big Bowl Game. It was written by William M. Conselman, Mary Kelly, Nat Perrin, Arthur Sheekman, Harry Tugend and Jack Yellen, and was directed by David Butler.
The cast includes Stuart Erwin (in an Oscar-nominated performance), Jack Haley, Patsy Kelly, Arline Judge, Dixie Dunbar, Betty Grable, Tony Martin and, in her feature film debut, 14-year-old Judy Garland. 20th Century Fox distributed this film.
Plot
Due to a misunderstanding, Yale inadvertently invites the small Texas State University to come to Connecticut and play against its football team for a benefit game. Coincidentally, TSU has just hired a new coach, Slug Winters (Jack Haley), who arrives at the college with his wife Bessie (Patsy Kelly) just in time to hear the announcement that the team is to play Yale.
The coach digs in to whip the team into shape, with Bessie's help, she knowing more about football than Slug does. But just before the big game, Bessie causes an accident and the team's quarterback Biff Bentley breaks his leg. All seems hopeless until Slug and Bessie stumble across an Arkansas hillbilly named Amos Dodd, played by Stuart Erwin, who throws a football like no one they've ever seen. They find him tossing melons with his sister, Sairy (Judy Garland).
The only problem remaining is to figure a way to get the college to enroll the hillbilly so that he can take the place of the injured quarterback. Amos also falls for attractive student Sally Saxon (Arline Judge), bringing out jealousy in her rich suitor Mortimer Higgens.
Texas State travels to the game at Yale, which is played in a blizzard. Yale is leading 7-6 in the final minutes when Slug accidentally knocks himself unconscious on the sideline. Bessie takes over and sends in a play, which hillbilly Amos runs barefoot for the winning touchdown.[2]
University in film
The university in the film, Texas State University, is fictional; the real-life Texas State University did not receive that name until 2003. The logo on the football players' uniforms is the logo of Tarleton State University[3] in Stephenville, Texas. In the 20's, 30's, 40's and into the 50's Tarleton played Texas A&M and Oklahoma as shown in the movie.
Cast
- Stuart Erwin as Amos
- Jack Haley as Slug
- Patsy Kelly as Bessie
- Arline Judge as Sally
- Grady Sutton as Mortimer
- Fred Kohler, Jr. as Biff
- Johnny Downs as Chip
- Tony Martin as Tommy
- Dixie Dunbar as Ginger Jones
- Betty Grable as Laura
- Judy Garland as Sairy
- Si Jenks as Baggage Master
- Yacht Club Boys
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Academy Award | Nominated | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Stuart Erwin |
References
- ^ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century-Fox: A Corporate and Financial History Rowman & Littlefield, 2002 p 217
- ^ Pigskin Parade page on The Judy Garland Database, by Jim Johnson
- ^ www.tarleton.edu.
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